Shloka 59
धृतराष्ट्रविलापः — Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s Lament and Inquiry (Śalya-parva, Adhyāya 2)
एवमेव हत: कर्ण: सूतपुत्र: प्रतापवान्
evam eva hataḥ karṇaḥ sūtaputraḥ pratāpavān
Vaiśampāyana said: “In just this manner, Karṇa—the valiant son of a charioteer—was slain.” The line underscores the stark finality of war: even renowned prowess and heroic reputation cannot avert the ordained outcome once the tide of battle and fate turns.
वैशम्पायन उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse highlights the impermanence of worldly power: even a celebrated hero falls when circumstances, destiny, and the moral momentum of the war converge. It invites reflection on how valor alone is not a guarantee of victory, and how actions and alignments (dharma/adharma) shape outcomes.
The narrator Vaiśampāyana succinctly states that Karṇa, famed for his prowess and known as the sūta’s son, has been killed—marking a decisive and tragic turning point in the Kurukṣetra war.